Simply Unsustainable Red Ink

IBD Editorials ^ | February 23. 2011 | RALPH R. REILAND

[Kaslin]

'So be it."

Those three words, uttered by House Speaker John Boehner last week about the prospect of federal work force layoffs, generated a firestorm of anger and anxiety among congressional Democrats, liberals, federal workers (and federal nonworkers in no small number of cases, considering the absence of output) and various other advocates of ever-expanding government.

The House speaker's answer came in response to a question from Pacifica Radio's Leigh Ann Caldwell.

"Do you have any estimate on how many jobs will be lost through this?" she asked, referring to the impact on government payrolls of the Republican majority's plans to reduce Washington's record levels of red ink by cutting federal spending by billions of dollars.

Boehner's reply: "Since President Obama has taken office, the federal government has added 200,000 new federal jobs, and if some of those jobs are lost in this, so be it. We're broke."

As a footnote, Pacifica Radio describes itself as "America's progressive news source." Its idea of good programming is putting folk singer Pete Seeger on the air every Fourth of July to talk about his father's communist ideology, just so listeners don't get too patriotic about America's founding and exceptionalism:

"In those early days, he linked up with the communist movement. They had a thing called the Composers' Collective. After all, in Russia they had collectives this and collectives that. And there, they decided, as skilled musicians, they would compose the new music for a new society."

[Clintonfatigued]

The DemocRATS are acting out of political selfishness in a time of national emergency. There are no good choices available. All we can do is either is either solve this problem in the most painless way possible under the circumstances, or we can implode. They haven’t even begun to make serious proposals.

[goodnesswins]

what the PRODUCERs (those of you still working) will owe based on DEBT being added....."average of $735,312 per household paying federal income taxes."

[fanfan]

what the PRODUCERs (those of you still working) will owe based on DEBT being added....."average of $735,312 per household paying federal income taxes."

Wow. We are all $cr3w3d!

[icwhatudo]

"Since President Obama has taken office, the federal government has added 200,000 new federal jobs, and if some of THOSE jobs are lost in this, so be it. We're broke."

Pelosi and the MSM pundits claim he said "if jobs are lost, so be it"

[originalbuckeye]

When will someone point out, to Big Media, that we, the private sector ‘working families’ make less than union workers, don't get near the benefits that union workers get, yet are expected to pay out all the wages and benefits to the union workers? Will anyone stand up for those of us who work very hard yet see our paychecks dwindle in favor of the union workers who CAN'T LOSE THEIR JOBS??

[nascarnation]

Most folks outside places like FR really don’t understand this yet. But they will - most of them anyway.

[originalbuckeye]

It is NOT the Republican Legislators against the Unions. It is the Unions against the Private sector ‘working families’ who pay for all the perks the Unions get. We must have a voice!

[musicman]

[BobP]

Make sure Ben doesn't run out of ink printing all that money - with nothing backing it up!

Obama bamboozled millions... gave them the old 'okee doke.'

[AndyJackson]

Make sure Ben doesn't run out of ink printing all that money

I guess when the ink on the note is worth more than the note Ben's job will be done.

[RetiredTexasVet]

Let it close down. Let it stay closed down at least long enough to equal the cuts proposed in the original bill. Conservatives need to talk slowly and distinctly using small words and phrases such that a five year old or liberal college professor can understand.

[musicman]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Clintonfatigued.

[TheOldLady]

*snort* giggle.

[TheOldLady]

"...average of $735,312 per household paying federal income taxes."

My share's not going to get paid off in my lifetime.

[Lancey Howard]

Democrats just love their fellow communists:

|

[SunkenCiv]

Funny how Slick Willie claimed undeserved credit for the balanced budgets of the 1990s, which grew out of having stable, lower OPEC pricing and Republicans controlling Congress. And how it was marketed as being very important during the Clinton recession that carried on into GWB’s administration, when we were then hit with 9/11 as well as ever-rising OPEC pricing and Demwits rising in Congress.

It’s almost as if it was done to sell everyone on how no one needs that kind of fiscal discipline.

[TheOldLady]

Funny...

Hilarious. I can't stop laughing. </s>

[SunkenCiv]

;’)